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Converting Berdan primer pockets to Boxer
I'm going to post this in several posts to get the pictures in the right place.
Converting LR Berdan primer pockets in brass milsurp cartridges to SR Boxer primer pockets
Over the years I’ve thrown away I don’t know how many thousands of very good brass cases of 7.62x54R, 8x57, 7.65 Argentine and ,303 British simply because they had Berdan primers. On a recent long 7.62x54R thread I’d mentioned doing this conversion of the Berdan primer pockets to take SR Boxer primers and several were interested. Thought I’d just do a new thread here to explain the conversion process to keep it from getting lost in the other thread.
While Berdan primed cases are reloadable with proper tools and IF you have and/or can get Berdan primers they were a pain to even try, at least the ones I tried over the years were. Some time back a poster (don’t recall his name but I would like to give him credit) gave some rudimentary ideas on how it might be possible to convert the LR Berdan primer pockets to take/use SR boxer primers. I finally got around to giving it some more thought and attempted it. So far I have met with success having converted some 7.62x54R cases and having reloaded and fired them twice. I have also converted several test cases of 8x57 and 7.65 Argentine with equal success.
The tools needed are rudimentary and most advanced loaders should already have them or have them available. What is needed are (illustrated);
Bench mounted vise
Sharp center punch and mallet
Hand drill (I used a DeWalt cordless drill just to make sure it could be done. A vertical drill press with a milling table and machinist vise on it makes it a lot easier. It also reduced the “oh-ohs” significantly.)
A sharp #18 drill bit
A #43, 44 or 45 drill bit
A SR primer pocket swager. I used the Dillon but the RCBS should work as well.
Converting Berdan primer pockets to Boxer
Thank you! Thank you! A little late by nine months for me. We sold a lot of brass plus all berdan rifle calibers. Down sizing my mess. Now i have to find some more.